"Tar Baby" intertwines the destinies of Jadine Childs, a Black fashion model, and Son, a Black fugitive on the run. Their fraught affair unfolds across vivid locales, from a Caribbean island to the United States' urban hustle and southern backdrops. Toni Morrison expertly dissects themes of race, gender, and class, painting a complex picture of societal expectations and personal identity. As antagonistic worlds collide through the lovers' union, the story weaves a rich tapestry of cultural inheritance and the struggle for self-affirmation.